Joint and bushing construction



March l2, 1946. f A. VENDITTY JOINT AND BUSHING CNSTRUCTIONl Filed May22, 1945 y 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 12 19446.. A.. vEN-DlTTY JOINT ANDBUSHING CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 22, 1945 /a N ZZ 26a I g"9 lf c/ Z Z 30H11' BUSG CNSTRUCTION Anthony Vendltty, Detroit,Ill/itch.,y assignor to Thompson Products, inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation oi Ohio Application May 22, i943, Serial No. 487,995 8malins. (Cl. 28l-85) This invention relates to joint mechanisms andresilient bushings for such mechanisms accomsince any continuouslycurved face must stretch f in tension and bulge in compression, thusoermodating universal movement and so constructed l and arranged thatthe resilient material of the bushings will not be damaged duringoperation.

Specifically, the invention relates to rubber bushing constructionsaccommodating wobbling or oscillatory movements and having cut-outportions extending inwardly from the end faces thereof forming rollingsurfaces during such 1 movements to eliminate formation of creases ortion the rubber block is preloaded by radially deforming the same tobring the opposed faces pro-` vided by the cut-out portions into initialengage 4ment thereby closing up most of the recess or slot of the cut.The cut is suiliciently deep so that it'vvill not be completely openedup during oscillation or Wobbling of the block and therefore the ibottomo the cut is not subjected to hinge joint action.

If a. rubber bushing with continuous endl faces is deformed as bycooking a pintle carried by the bushing relative to a housing carryingthe bushing, portions of the rubber at diagonally opposite f broken, andcracked, thereby decreasing the uselrul life oi the bushing.

Rubber bushing blocks with continuous curved 'contours on the end faceshave been proposed K to increase the useful life of the bushings, butcontours of these natures necessarily result in formation of high andlow stress points during operation since the contour shape varies ythethickness of the block and causes it to be most highly stressed at itsthinner areas. Repeated flexing will soon develop cracks in the rubber.

ing resistance to such` movement. l

'in b accordance with this invention, hinge points and high or lowstress areas of the rubber are eliminated and resistance to cooking orweb bling movements is materially decreased. At the same time, therubber bushing is not weakened by the cut-out portion, since the bushingis radially loaded to bring the lopposed faces of these portions intorolling engagement.

It is, then, an object of this invention to provide joint constructionsaccommodating universal movements throughout awide degree of angulationthrough the media of resilient bushings,

A still further object of the invention is to pro- 'vide a jointconstruction having relatively movable members connected through aresilient member which accommodates a wide range of movements of thejoint members.

A further object of the invention is to increase the degree ofangulation of rubber bushed imiversal joints. v

A specic object of the invention ls to provide a bushing especiallyuseful for joint constructions having connected inner and outer annularportions adapted to roll on each other and to be separated from eachother during operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a rubber bushinghaving annular cuts extending inwardly from the opposed ends thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to'provide a radiallypreloaded bushing assembly em bodying a rubber block having connectedinner and outer portions adapted to rollfon each other during wobblingmovements between the inner and outer portions.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a one-piece rubberbushing composed of an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve connectedintermediate their ends and arranged so that the sleeves can wobblerelative to each other without vsubjecting the rubber to shear stresses.

' end :faces and with an annular cut extending inwardly from each endface in axial alignment with each other and terminating' in equallyspaced relation from the transverse center line of the block.

' Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the Continuous contoursalso resist wobblingaction 55 `following detailed description of the annexed ,Figure 3 is anenlarged fragmentary plan view, I

with parts in horizontal cross section', of a portion ofthe universaljoint shown vin Figure 1 illustrating the operation of the joint.

Figure 4 is an axial cross-sectional view of a rubber bushing assemblyaccording to this invention before the same Ais radially preloaded.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 illustrating the assembly ofFigure 4 after the same hasl been radially loaded.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 illustrating a modied embodimentwherein the inner metal sleeve has been eliminated.

As shownon the drawings:

In Figures 1 to 3 the reference numeral Ill designates generally auniversal joint according to this invention having a pair of opposedflange view taken on the arcuate rocking` faces 26a and 26h at each endmembers II, II each equipped with a central internally splined hubportion IIa, adapted' to be connected to a shaft such as I2. Each flangeII is apertured at its outer ends and receives bolts I3 through theapertures thereof. Each bolt I3 has a head I3a in spaced relation fromthe flange through which it projects and a washer Iii is bottomed oneach head I 3a. A pintle pin I5 suro rounds each bolt I3 and is clampedbetween the washer I4 and theflange I I on which the bolt is mountedbymeans of a nut I6 threadedfon the bolt, and bottomed through a lockwasher Il .on the opposite face of the flange II.

Each pintle I5 .has an annular shoulder` lia spaced from the ange II onwhich it is mounted.

A bushing assembly I8, composed of Va cylindrical rubber block I9, acylindrical casing or sleeve 20 surrounding and bonded to the block I9,an axial bore 2| through the block I9, and an inner sleeve 22 vulcanizedin the bore 2l, has the sleeve 22 thereof disposed around each pintle I5and clamped at its ends between the shoulder I5a andV the washer I 4.Two such bushing assemblies I8 are mounted on each fiange II, prolvidinga total of four bushing assemblies, al-

though it should be understood that'any number of pintles and bushingassemblies could be 'used Without departing from the scope of thisinvention.

A connecting housing 23 composed of two metal discs or plates 23a and23h riveted together as by means of rivets 2t, has four open-endedcylindrical pockets or cups 25 spaced equally therearound each receivingthe outer shell 20 of a bushing assembly I 8. Each cup 25'has aninturned end flange 25a at each open end thereof overlying vthe sleeve2li tohold the bushing assembly in the cup. l v

The bushing assemblies are vreadily mounted in the housing member bybringing the opposed plates 23a and 23h constituting the housing memberover the sleeve Zll and then riveting the plates together. o

The universal joint I Il thus has each flange II,- Il thereof connectedthrough a pair of bushing assemblies I8 with the connecting housing 23and since, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the flanges Y II. II aredisposed on opposite sides of the housing 23, these anges can haveuniversal `moveto have rolling contact with each other.

escasos seated and the block I9 is correspondingly oversized.

. l'The block I9, in its free state, has recessed end faces provided byannular cuts 26 intermediate,

the inner and outer diametersof-the block extending'inwardly in axiallyaligned relation to terminate in equally spaced relation on oppositesides of the transverse center line of the block. These cuts 2S convergealong curved paths from the end faces of the block and provide opposedof the block. Each of these opposed faces 26a and 2Gb are preferablyarcs of -circles arranged The surfaces converge from spaced opposedrelation at the end faces of the blocks to-rounded bottoms 26e lyinginward from the end faces of the block a sufeient distance so that thebottoms will not be subjected to tension loads even during extremewobbling of thel joint in'whieh the bush ing is used.

The block thus has a central connecting portion I9a integrally joiningan outer sleeve i912 with an inner sleeve Isc. Since the cuts 2lil havearcuately curved side walls, the bushing may be considered as resemblingintegrally joined inner and outer nested "doughnutsf The inner sleeveportion I 9c of the block I9 is preferably slightly longer than theouter sleeve i911.v

The bearing assembly I8, as shown in Figure 5, before being mounted in acup 25 of the housing or connecting member 23 of the universal joint I0,is radially loaded by swaging the outer casing 2l] to reduce the outerdiameter of the assembly to the inner diameter of the cup 25. Thisreduction in diameter of the bushing assembly radially loads the rubberblock I9 and the block is thus compressively loaded. The inner sleeve22, of course, will prevent collapse of the bore 2I during`the swagingoperation.

'I'he radially loaded or compressed'bushing assembly I8 has thecooperating rocking faces 26a words, the outer vsleeve 9b of 'the blockI9 is v moved radially inward against the inner sleeve I9c of the blockand the cuts -are closed.

When the bushing assembly i8 has the inner sleeve 22 thereof cockedrelative to the outer casing 20, as in Figure 3, the faces 28a of thecuts 26 on diagonally opposite portions of each end face of the block I9will roll on the outer-surfaces 26h to permit the cooking action withoutforming hinge points in the rubber. The other diagonally opposedportions of the end faces of the block I9 will have the surfaces 26a.and 2Gb only partially separated so that the bottomsZGc of the cuts arenever fully opened up, In operation, the cuts are never fully opened,although portions of the rolling faces 25a and 2Gb will be separated.Thus the bottoms 26e never become hinge points. The wide mouths of thecuts 2B will permit the rubber on the inner sleeve portion Isc of theblock to ride over the surfaces 26h as ebushing assembly is identicalwith that disclosed in Figure with the exception that. the inner sleeve22 is eliminated and the pintle i5 is directly vulcanized or otherwisebonded to the bore 3i of the block.

Joints constructed-with bushing assemblies according to this inventionhave a longer wear'life and have angulation capacity through ,widerangles than heretofore-known `rubber bushed joint assemblies. While itis preferred to use rubber for the block i9, it should be understoodthat other resilient materials can be used. Obviously, of course,synthetic rubber is a suitable material and the term rubber as usedthroughout this specification and` in the claims is in-v tended toinclude both natural and synthetic rubber or rubber-like materials.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of constructionmay be-varied through a wide range without departing from the principlesof this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit thepatent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a joint assembly, inner and outer annular members, a radiallyloaded resilient bloclgi between said members, and said block havingexposed end faces each with an inwardly extending converging annularcut, said cuts terminating in spaced relation on opposite sides of thetrans- 3. lA rubber bushing comprising a one-piece block of rubberhaving integrally connected inner and outer sleeve portions joined alongthe central portion of their length and said sleeve portions havingopposed faces formed to provide rolling surfaces for each other duringrelative oscillation between the inner and outer sleeve portions andsaid opposed faces having portions in constant abutting relation.

4. A bushing' assembly comprising an inner member, an inner rubbersleeve surrounding said member, an outer rubber sleeve surrounding saidinner rubber sleeve and connected to the inner rubber sleeve only at anarea adjacent the transverse center line of the sleeve, and an outermem.

` ber surrounding said outer sleeve andcompresverse center line of theresilient block and said l outs having side wall portions in abuttingrelation during all relative positions of the inner and outer annularmembers.

2. A rubber bushing comprising a cylindrical block of rubber having endfaces and an axial r bore therethrough terminating at said end faces,-

said block having an annular cutextending inwardly from each end faceintermediate the inner and outer diameters of the blocks, said cutsbeing axially aligned and terminating in spaced relation from thetransverse center line of the block, and each cut having `side wallportions in conetant abutting relation beyond the bottoms of the cuts.

sively loading both sleevesto maintain portions of the inner and outersleeves in contact beyond the connecting portion thereof.

5. In a joint construction, inner 'and outer members and apresilientmember compressed between said inner and outer members, said resilientmember having annular slotsextending inwardly from the end faces thereofinto spaced opposed relation from the transverse center-line of theresilient member, th'e side walls definingY said slots being heldinabutting relation and havingconvex contours in their 'free state.

6. A bushing comprising a block of rubber having recessed end facesproviding radially inner and outer block portions, said recesses beingdefined by opposed walls having portions in abutting relation, and -saidwalls being adapted to roll on each other during relative oscillationbetween the radiallyl inner and outer portions of the block.

7. In a `ioint construction, inner and outer members and a resilientmember compressed between said inner and outer members, said resilient'member having annular grooves extending inwardly from the end facesthereof into spaced opposed relation from the transverse center line ofthe resilient member, the depth of said grooves ANTHONY VENDITTY.

